Benetton & Trent form strategic partnership for Sisley's expansio

Mumbai, Sep 18 (UNI) The Benetton Group and Trent, a Tata Group company, have joined forces in a strategic partnership for Sisley's commercial expansion in India.

The agreement was signed today by Benetton Group Executive Deputy Chairman Alessandro Benetton and Trent Managing Director Noel Tata.

Under this agreement, Trent will manage and operate the three existing Sisley's stores in Delhi, and also open and manage a number of new stores in India's major cities. The first shops will open over the next few months starting with the top shopping streets in Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Speaking to reporters, Alessandro Benetton commented, ''Working with such a prestigious partner will allow us to accelerate Sisley's development and success in India. We immediately found ourselves in solid accord with Tata based on our common goal to launch Sisley, a high-end brand, with strong growth potential. Together we can guarantee the quality of both the product and its distribution and consolidate the brand's distinctive identity.'' The new partnership will enable the Benetton Group to boost its presence in India, a key market for the entire continent, where it has been operating for over 15 years and already counts around 140 United Colours of Benetton shops.

''The partnership with the Benetton Group gives us the opportunity to tap the burgeoning premium segment of consumers. We believe that Sisley has a high potential for growth and we will leverage our experience to optimise the tremendous opportunity,'' Noel Tata added.

The agreement comes only a few months after the launch of Sisley's first three pilot stores in Delhi, that were an immediate and significant success with Indian customers, and these three shops will be directly managed by Trent.

Sisley has more than 900 stores around the world. Its collections distinguished by their strong fashion statement reflect the latest trends of the season. This winter they will launch a new range that is even richer and sophisticated: Sisley Limited Edition.